blood pressure problems

[billherbst]

First post, and less positive than I would have hoped. I've been vaping (and lurking on ECF) for four months. I'd been trying to end 40 years of smoking since I had a hemorrhagic stroke three years ago, and I had cut down to 8 ultralights per day. I quit analogs cold turkey on my very first day of vaping and haven't wanted one since. I LOVE vaping.

Four months later I have a cabinet full of juices and DIY stuff, plus a menagerie of 12 PVs (sound familiar?): 2 Riva/Egos that I started with, a Hello 016 1300mah unit that I like a lot, 2 Omegas (silver vein and chrome), a Maxi Roughstack, 2 gorgeous Phidias Woodimus bottom-feeders, a 2nd-gen Wetbox, a Big Brother VV box mod (terrific!), and 2 5V passthroughs. As so many members here know, vaping can quickly become an addictive and very expensive hobby.

But there's trouble in paradise. While many people on the forums have reported lower blood pressure in the switch from analogs to vaping, I'm not one of them, unfortunately. I'm clearly vaping WAY too much nicotine (using 24mg juices mostly).

In September, my blood pressure was 115/65, which was perfect. Today, four months of vaping later, my blood pressure was 158/95. Last week I bought a good home blood pressure unit (the accuracy of which I've since verified at the local pharmacy). I've been checking my BP every day for the past week, and it's never been lower than 145/78. This is extremely bad news. I've never had high blood pressure before, and the only substantive change in my life over the past four months has been vaping.

Smoking 8 ultra-light analogs per day, I was getting about 5-8mg of nicotine. At 2ml of juice usage per day, I'm vaping around 50mg of nicotine---six to ten times as much. I don't know exactly how much nicotine the body absorbs from vaping, but it's apparently way too much for my 61-year-old system.

The rub here is that I feel great---more energy, better lung function, food tastes better, no cigarette odor in my hair or clothes, and I can vape inside my apartment (I used to go outside to smoke). Sadly, however, elevated blood pressure is one of those dangerous conditions that usually have no symptoms.

Obviously, I have to reduce my nicotine intake pretty darn fast or I'll be a walking-heart-attack-or-stroke-just-waiting-to-happen. I've ordered a new stash of zero nic juices and flavor concentrates to lower the nicotine percentage of my favorite juices without diluting flavor, but I don't know how much that will help. If I go to 18mg nic concentration (to maintain some semblance of throat hit, which I dearly love), I'll still be inhaling 36mg of nicotine per day---at least quadruple my old smoking amount.

I've tried zero nic juices, and (to use the old phrase) it's like kissing your sister. Not dreadful, but not satisfying, either.

To say that I'm upset and very worried is putting it mildly.

--Bill

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Hello, bill! I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble, but I might have at least a little good news. Your numbers are probably off. You're not inhaling every single bit of nicotine when you vape. You also have to consider that if you're using carts or cartos that there's going to be some wasted juice.

It's a good idea for you to taper off the nicotine levels. I would also strongly suggest that you go see a doctor. There could be other factors that are affecting your BP, especially since you've already had a stroke. Your health is way more important than vaping.

 

[No Brag]

Bill,
That is bad news. I haven't checked my blood pressure since I started vaping 3 months ago. At 59 maybe I should. I know you won't like this, but have you talked to you Dr. That would be the safest route IMO. On the positive side they might have some blood pressure meds that would keep your blood pressure down and let you keep vaping. Let us know how it goes and good luck.

 

[billherbst]

Hello, bill! I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble, but I might have at least a little good news. Your numbers are probably off. You're not inhaling every single bit of nicotine when you vape. You also have to consider that if you're using carts or cartos that there's going to be some wasted juice.

It's a good idea for you to taper off the nicotine levels. I would also strongly suggest that you go see a doctor. There could be other factors that are affecting your BP, especially since you've already had a stroke. Your health is way more important than vaping.

Thanks for the encouragement, WoH. Yes, my nicotine intake numbers might be inaccurate. Shoot, I was a 2 1/2-pack-a-day smoker for two decades, so in those earlier years I took in a heck of a lot more nicotine via cigs. From what I read, there may also be significant differences in nicotine absorption from smoking versus vaping. Numbers aside, though, I can't think of any other reason for the sudden elevation of my blood pressure.

Of course you're right. My health is a lot more important than vaping, and I've been working on it diligently since the stroke. The first year was regaining function---walking, getting my strength back, etc. Since then, I've lost weight, I swim laps for half an hour twice a week, and as of my last checkup in September, my blood panel numbers were sterling.

I have a regularly scheduled appointment with my internist in late January. I should know by then if the reduction from 24mg to 18mg nic juice makes a difference. Either way, I intend to do whatever I have to to maintain my health.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Thanks for the encouragement, WoH. Yes, my nicotine intake numbers might be inaccurate. Shoot, I was a 2 1/2-pack-a-day smoker for two decades, so in those earlier years I took in a heck of a lot more nicotine via cigs. From what I read, there may also be significant differences in nicotine absorption from smoking versus vaping. Numbers aside, though, I can't think of any other reason for the sudden elevation of my blood pressure.

Of course you're right. My health is a lot more important than vaping, and I've been working on it diligently since the stroke. The first year was regaining function---walking, getting my strength back, etc. Since then, I've lost weight, I swim laps for half an hour twice a week, and as of my last checkup in September, my blood panel numbers were sterling.

I have a regularly scheduled appointment with my internist in late January. I should know by then if the reduction from 24mg to 18mg nic juice makes a difference. Either way, I intend to do whatever I have to to maintain my health.

Please, bill. I urge you to not wait until your appointment. You've been monitoring your BP and you know that it's been running high. It would be better to consult with a doctor now and find out that it's something easy to take care of than to wait and have something horrible happen, like another stroke. Please, please do this! Don't play with your health, especially since you know how important it is!

 

[billherbst]

Bill,
That is bad news. I haven't checked my blood pressure since I started vaping 3 months ago. At 59 maybe I should. I know you won't like this, but have you talked to you Dr. That would be the safest route IMO. On the positive side they might have some blood pressure meds that would keep your blood pressure down and let you keep vaping. Let us know how it goes and good luck.

Thanks for responding, No Brag. As I wrote above, I have an appointment with my internist in two weeks. We'll see what he says.

While I'm no fan of the American health care system, in particular the pharmaceutical industry, I admit that going on blood pressure meds is hardly the worst outcome here, and I will do so if required. Although it's more than a little ironic that the "solution" that allowed me to finally quit smoking has almost certainly caused this new problem, I am slowly learning to simply do what's necessary to take good care of my body.

 

[billherbst]

At Woman of Heart's urging, I emailed my internist and explained my situation, namely that I had quit smoking entirely and started vaping. I explained what vaping was and how I felt much better except for the elevation in blood pressure, presumably from increased nicotine. I included my BP numbers from home testing.

A little extra background info is that in late 2009 my blood pressure was somewhat elevated (Stage 1 Hypertension), so my doc prescribed a low dose of Micardis/telmisartan. I wasn't on the med long before I began a diet and exercise program. By September of 2010, I had lost 70 lbs., and my blood pressure was low normal, just about perfect.

I still had some of the Micardis, so in the email I asked my doc if I should start up on those meds again, and if he wanted to see me before my scheduled appointment at the end of the month. He emailed back that I should start taking the Micardis. He also wrote that while the recent elevation of my blood pressure was a bonafide concern, the BP readings weren't high enough to be dangerous yet. Since the rest of my health is quite good, he didn't feel a need for me to see him until the end of the month.

I've already begun receiving some of the packages I ordered from various vendors containing zero nic juices and concentrated flavorings to bring down the nic concentration of my favorite juices---FSUSA RY4, RY5, and Wyatt Earp, Dekang Marlb and USA mix, Bluemist Robacco and Caramel Tobacco, plus various chocolate flavors---BWB Cafe Mocha, VaporRenu Double Dutch Chocolate, FSUSA Cocoa Chaos, and Madvapes Chocolate Fudge Bavarian Cream. At this point, I'm like a mad scientist in the lab, testing to see how low nic I can go with blending before losing throat hit. It is amazing how quickly TH vanishes, but I can also confirm that this is where my high-voltage mods (5 and 6 volts) shine. Higher wattage combined with extra flavor intensity does preserve more of the impact.

I've also ordered some Diablo Loco from Totally Wicked to see if that might work to give an approximation of throat hit that will make zero nic juices more satisfying.

In the coming months, I'll check in here to report medically and vaping-wise how it's all going.

--Bill

 

[jplanet]

Bill, sorry to hear about the high blood pressure.

It is true that nicotine can raise blood pressure. You certainly can't go wrong by lowering your dose and seeing your doctor.

Something to keep in mind - many things can raise blood pressure - consider that vaping can dehydrate you, which can stress your kidneys, and in turn increase blood pressure. So, you also have nothing to lose by making sure you stay well-hydrated!

I hope you can continue to enjoy vaping and stay healthy at the same time!

 

[fivefivesix]

consider that vaping can dehydrate you, which can stress your kidneys, and in turn increase blood pressure. So, you also have nothing to lose by making sure you stay well-hydrated!

that is something I had noticed early on in vaping and has been a reoccurring battle for me

 

[WomanOfHeart]

At Woman of Heart's urging, I emailed my internist and explained my situation, namely that I had quit smoking entirely and started vaping. I explained what vaping was and how I felt much better except for the elevation in blood pressure, presumably from increased nicotine. I included my BP numbers from home testing.

A little extra background info is that in late 2009 my blood pressure was somewhat elevated (Stage 1 Hypertension), so my doc prescribed a low dose of Micardis/telmisartan. I wasn't on the med long before I began a diet and exercise program. By September of 2010, I had lost 70 lbs., and my blood pressure was low normal, just about perfect.

I still had some of the Micardis, so in the email I asked my doc if I should start up on those meds again, and if he wanted to see me before my scheduled appointment at the end of the month. He emailed back that I should start taking the Micardis. He also wrote that while the recent elevation of my blood pressure was a bonafide concern, the BP readings weren't high enough to be dangerous yet. Since the rest of my health is quite good, he didn't feel a need for me to see him until the end of the month.

I've already begun receiving some of the packages I ordered from various vendors containing zero nic juices and concentrated flavorings to bring down the nic concentration of my favorite juices---FSUSA RY4, RY5, and Wyatt Earp, Dekang Marlb and USA mix, Bluemist Robacco and Caramel Tobacco, plus various chocolate flavors---BWB Cafe Mocha, VaporRenu Double Dutch Chocolate, FSUSA Cocoa Chaos, and Madvapes Chocolate Fudge Bavarian Cream. At this point, I'm like a mad scientist in the lab, testing to see how low nic I can go with blending before losing throat hit. It is amazing how quickly TH vanishes, but I can also confirm that this is where my high-voltage mods (5 and 6 volts) shine. Higher wattage combined with extra flavor intensity does preserve more of the impact.

I've also ordered some Diablo Loco from Totally Wicked to see if that might work to give an approximation of throat hit that will make zero nic juices more satisfying.

In the coming months, I'll check in here to report medically and vaping-wise how it's all going.

--Bill

Bill, I cannot tell how pleased I am that you took my advice and consulted your doctor. I'm glad that he got you started on your meds and that your still vaping. It may not matter, but this makes me feel so much better! I appreciate your follow up to let us know what your doctor told you and how you're doing. It sounds like you got some really yummy flavors and that you're having fun with your "lab" experiments! Thank you so much for sharing! Believe it or not, I was worried about you!

 

[terradale]

I was also struck by your post whilst surfing this forum. Hope its not out of line to mention that I got my blood pressure under control thru holistic means. I swig Apple Cider Vinegar every morning and also cut out any use of Nutrasweet. Namely, no longer drinking diet sodas - I've switched over to flavored seltzer water and add a touch of real raw Cranberry or Cherry juice to beef it up a bit without adding too many calories. You'd be surprised how often Nutrasweet is in diet products of any kind and for some reason it was affecting my blood pressure.

Oddly enough between quitting Nutrasweet and taking the Apple Cider Vinegar I went from 140bp to a manageable 108 (can never remember the bottom number, but that also lowered too.) and I lost 10pds to boot all within two weeks. Who knew. You can find many testimonials regarding Apple Cider Vinegar at earthclinic.com and advice on how to incorporate it into daily life.

I'm also a huge Cherry nut, because within the holistic community it is the most effective antitoxin with regards to the big C.

Good luck.

 

[billherbst]

I was also struck by your post whilst surfing this forum. Hope its not out of line to mention that I got my blood pressure under control thru holistic means. I swig Apple Cider Vinegar every morning and also cut out any use of Nutrasweet. Namely, no longer drinking diet sodas - I've switched over to flavored seltzer water and add a touch of real raw Cranberry or Cherry juice to beef it up a bit without adding too many calories. You'd be surprised how often Nutrasweet is in diet products of any kind and for some reason it was affecting my blood pressure.

Oddly enough between quitting Nutrasweet and taking the Apple Cider Vinegar I went from 140bp to a manageable 108 (can never remember the bottom number, but that also lowered too.) and I lost 10pds to boot all within two weeks. Who knew. You can find many testimonials regarding Apple Cider Vinegar at earthclinic.com and advice on how to incorporate it into daily life.

I'm also a huge Cherry nut, because within the holistic community it is the most effective antitoxin with regards to the big C.

Good luck.

terradale, you're not out of line at all. I come from your world, having spent the past 40 years making my livelihood as a professional astrologer in private practice, both living and working in what in the past was called "holistic health," then became "alternative medicine," and is now referred to as "integrative medicine." Along the way of my own numerous serious accidents and illnesses I've had my share of dealings with pretty much all the diverse philosophies around wellness and healing---naturopathic/homeopathic, Chinese medicine (5-element, acupuncture, qi gong, etc.), chiropractic, and new age "spiritual" (Reiki, Kofutu, MariEl, rolfing, etc.). I've also lived through all the food wars, as so many of us have---organic, vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, raw food, allergies, blood type diets, etc. seemingly ad infinitum.

I have to admit that I've had good AND bad experiences with all those different approaches. While I'm no fan of the pharmaceutical, high-tech brand of corporate "health maintenance" that has taken over this country, western medicine has literally saved my life on three occasions (twice on operating tables). Conversely, I'm not as much of a fervent cheerleader as I once was for alternative approaches, because much of it just didn't work for me personally. This is not to dis your post at all---I see a naturopath and an acupuncturist as well as an internist, and the only sweetener I use is stevia. My preference is to try nutritional and lifestyle solutions first, with medication as a last resort. In this case, however, the recent elevation of my BP was so swift and obvious in its cause, and so worrisome in implication (I had a hemorrhagic stroke three years ago and don't want to risk another) that I don't choose to do trial runs of alternative methods. If you knew my health history, you'd understand.

From my perspective, the whole question of health/illness is more complex than simple. Paradoxes and contradictions abound. My mother loves nothing better than seeing her western doctor and getting medicine while continuing to eat candy and processed food, but she's 90 years old, for heaven's sake, so something's working for her. Go figure.

Anyway, I appreciate your perspective. I think it's great that holistic methods worked for you to lower your blood pressure. I swim laps for half an hour twice a week, eat mostly salads (with no dressing except for guess what? Apple cider vinegar...), and do everything I can these days to honor the temple of the body and not shuffle off this mortal coil early. I do hope to wean myself off nicotine and get off the meds as quickly as possible.

--Bill